I Could Show You How To Get To This Secret Restaurant, But Then I Would Have To Kill You

Posted by Jonelle Patrick on January 26, 2013 in Food, Just another day in Japan | 7 Comments

It looks like an apartment building.

It is an apartment building.

But up on the 7th floor, there’s a secret restaurant that opens its doors to serve only one table per night. If you’re lucky, that could be you.

So…last night, I got lucky!

It pretty much goes without saying: standard stunning floor to ceiling view of  the Tokyo skyline with Tokyo Tower, how-did-they-do-that? flowers on the table, and (that true bellwether of an excellent eatery) a toilet that greets you by raising its lid and playing a violin and harmonium arrangement of Ave Maria.

But let’s cut to the chase.

First, a plate of four appetizers, each more delicious than the last, ending with a single bite of duck foie gras with a cherry on top that was so good that if I die and go to heaven and they don’t have a Costco-size plate of it waiting for me, I’m going to march over to the Grim Reaper and demand he do a rush job on getting the chef through the Pearly Gates. And I mean, pronto. (Sorry I don’t have a picture of this. I, uh, somehow it disappeared before I remembered)

Next, a chunk of sashimi grade salmon broiled until slightly crisp on the outside, crowned with slivers of pickled carrots and wisps of baby green onions.

Then, coins of goldy-green 100-year-old Italian olive oil scattered over a creamy soup made from whole pureed turnips, topped with the biggest shavings of black truffles I have ever had the pleasure of ogling.

After that, fresh mussels and clams sautéed with tomato essence and white wine, mingled with pasta. And Australian beef fed on olives, sautéed with purple daikon, sweet potato slices and (in case I was still jonesing after the ones in the soup) black truffles.

Then the dedicated dessert-snagging tool, for forking up one-bite servings of all kinds of delish sweets.

U mad? Don’t be – if you speak Japanese (or go with someone who does), you can make a reservation at 7 Degrees Piano too. But don’t tell anybody else, okay?  ryuji7piano@live.jp Minimum group size is eight.

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Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, now out for the first time in paperback

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